When establishing the chemical formula of acids (i.e. sulfuric acid) add enough hydrogen atoms to cancel out the charge (in this case the polyatomic SO4 has a negative one charge so sulfuric acid is HSO4)
When naming an acid make sure there is a hydrogen atom and determine the polyatomic atom (suffix:-ic). In the case of HC2H3O2 we can discover that acetate is in the formula so it would be called acetic acid.
Ionic Compounds
Ionic compounds require no prefix in their name because there is only one possible ratio so there is no need to specify. The ratio needs to cancel out the charges (i.e. Zinc Chloride can only be ZnCl2 because zinc has a positive 2 charge and chloride has a negative 1 charge).
The only case in which there would be a specification is with certain elements in the transitional metals, in otherwords the ones that have various charges. Iron can both be Fe(III) and Fe(II) so it is necessary to include the roman numerals in the name. Their charges will obviously change the outcome of the ratios. Naming ionic compounds is easy, simply state the elements and if the last is not polyatomic its suffix will be -ide. Just make sure that if it is an element with different charges specify which one with roman numerals.
Covalent Compounds
When naming covalent compounds it is necessary to know the prefixes for 1-10 atleast (i.e. mono,di, tri, tetra,penta, etc.). It is also necessary to know how the prefix will be effected when using oxide (i.e. penta becomes pentoxide). If the first element is singular it is superfluous to put mono- put it will always be necessary to specify the last element. (i.e. SiF3 is not monosilicon trifluoride it is simply silicon trifluoride). Also the last element will end in -ide. Naming and writing chemical formulas are easy, as long as one understands the rules it is straightforward.
When naming an acid make sure there is a hydrogen atom and determine the polyatomic atom (suffix:-ic). In the case of HC2H3O2 we can discover that acetate is in the formula so it would be called acetic acid.
Ionic Compounds
Ionic compounds require no prefix in their name because there is only one possible ratio so there is no need to specify. The ratio needs to cancel out the charges (i.e. Zinc Chloride can only be ZnCl2 because zinc has a positive 2 charge and chloride has a negative 1 charge).
The only case in which there would be a specification is with certain elements in the transitional metals, in otherwords the ones that have various charges. Iron can both be Fe(III) and Fe(II) so it is necessary to include the roman numerals in the name. Their charges will obviously change the outcome of the ratios. Naming ionic compounds is easy, simply state the elements and if the last is not polyatomic its suffix will be -ide. Just make sure that if it is an element with different charges specify which one with roman numerals.
Covalent Compounds
When naming covalent compounds it is necessary to know the prefixes for 1-10 atleast (i.e. mono,di, tri, tetra,penta, etc.). It is also necessary to know how the prefix will be effected when using oxide (i.e. penta becomes pentoxide). If the first element is singular it is superfluous to put mono- put it will always be necessary to specify the last element. (i.e. SiF3 is not monosilicon trifluoride it is simply silicon trifluoride). Also the last element will end in -ide. Naming and writing chemical formulas are easy, as long as one understands the rules it is straightforward.